Ashtray



United States Patent 3,137,304 ASHTRAY Duncan H. McDonald, 1580 'Bathurst St., Toronto, Ontario, Canada Filed Apr. 13, 1961, Ser. No. 102,865 Claims. (Cl. 131-235) The invention relates to an ash tray incorporating means for extinguishing cigarettes.

In the past a variety of such devices have been proposed in which cigarettes could be extinguished without the need for stubbing. Some such prior devices have been of a cumbersome unsightly design and were often difficult to clean. Other such devices have been unduly complex in operation leading to high manufacturing costs and an inherent liability to failure in use.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an ash tray structure adapted to facilitate extinguishing of cigarettes which is both simple and economical to manufacture and operate and is of attractive and contemporary design.

More specifically it is an object of theinvention to provide an ash tray structure having the foregoing advantages in which cigarettes may be extinguished without stubbing and which may be cleaned with a minimum of inconvenience.

More specifically it is an object of the invention to provide an ash tray structure having the foregoing advantages in which a cigarette may be extinguished by merely placing the same in a recess and which may thereafter by removed with a minimum of inconvenience.

The invention seeks to provide the foregoing and other advantages which will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment by the provision of an ash tray structure adapted to facilitate extinguishing of cigarette, said structure comprising: a bowl portion of predetermined length and breadth for deposit of cigarette stubs and the like therein; at least one movable arm swingably mounted to one side of said bowl portion; as least one blind recess formed in said arm, said recess being just large enough to accept a said cigarette stub therein and be substantially completely filled thereby; stop means adjacent said bowl portion located in the path of said arm to check swinging thereof beyond a predetermined point; and manually operable means for swinging said arm towards and into engagement with said stop means causing said arm to strike the same and eject said cigarette stub from said recess.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the following drawings in which like reference devices refer to like parts throughout the various views and diagrams and in which:

FIGURE 1 is an isometric View of an ash tray structure according to the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a partial section along the line 22 of FIGURE 1, the recess rim shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 being omitted, and

FIGURE 3 is a partial section along the line 33 of FIGURE 1.

From the general view of FIGURE 1 it will be seen that this preferred embodiment of the invention generally comprises the bowl portion having the usual cigarette rests 11 located around the edge thereof. Raised platform 12 is provided at one end of the bowl 10 level with the upper edge thereof and provides a support for the cigarette extinguishing devices described below.

From FIGURES 2 and 3 it will be seen that a cigarette extinguishing device comprises the relatively generally box-shaped massive arm 13 swingably mounted between axle members 14 fastened to the interior of platform 12 and providing trunnions for engagement with bearingrecesses 14a formed in opposite sides of arm 13 (shown in phantom in FIGURE 2), rendering the same swingably movable between the prone normal position shown and the substantially upright position shown in phantom in FIGURE 3. Recess 15 is formed in arm 13 at the opposite end thereof from axles 14 and is provided with a raised rim 16 defining the open mouth thereof, the other end being closed. Recess 15 is dimensioned to be just large enough to receive a cigarette therein and be substantially filled thereby thus excluding virtually all the air therein.

In order to procure swinging of arm 13 about axle members 14 from its prone to its upright position, operating linkage is .provided in the form of the push-button 17 carried in recess 18 formed in platform 12 and biassed upwardly by spring 19 into a normal position protruding from platform 12. Push rod 20 extends downwardly from button 17 through opening 21 at the bottom of recess 18 and having cross-bar 22 rigidly fastened to its free end as shown in FIG. 2, which at the same time restrains excessive ejection of push button 17 by spring 19. Crossbar 22 extendsfrom push rod 20 to pass through aperture 23 formed through arm 13 spaced below and to one side of the axis of swinging thereof as defined by axle members 14 and communicates downward movement of button 17 to arm 13 by contact with the lower periphery of aperture 23. In this way leverage is applied to arm 13 and the linear movement of button 17 is converted into rotational movement of arm 13 and causes the same to swing about axles 14. Aperture 23 is of substantial size in relation to the cross-section of cross-bar 22 and permits the same to slide around said lower periphery in order to define a substantial degree of lost motion between them, permitting arm 13 to swing freely through a substantial are without interruption by cross-bar 22.

In order to restrain swinging of arm 13 past a predetermined point at or near the vertical, stop member 24 is provided in the path thereof. Swinging of arm 13 in the reverse direction towards its prone position is in duced by counterbalancing in the form of thickened portion 25, arm 13 being checked in its prone position by the engagement of arm flanges 15a on rail supports 24a.

In operation a cigarette stub is dropped into the recess 15 of one or other of arms 13 which will almost immediately extinguish the same, recess 15 being substantially completely filled thereby and virtually all air being excluded. The corresponding button 17 is then pressed sharply down carrying with it cross-bar 22 which in turn will engage the lower peripheral wall of aperture 23, and thus cause arm 13 to swing sharply about axles 14. After button 17 and cross-bar 22 have reached the lower limit of their travel (see FIGURE 3) arm 13 will continue to swing freely upwardly about axles 14 as described, aperture 23 being of sufiicient size to permit such swinging without hindrance from cross-bar 22. As arm 13 reaches its approximately vertical position it will strike stop member. 24 and be abruptly halted thereby. Such action will produce a catapult effect on a cigarette stub in recess 15 ejecting the same therefrom into bowl 10. Button 17 may then be released and at the same time arm 13 will rebound from stop member 24 and swing back to its prone position, thickened portion 25 counterbalancing the same to ensure positive movement. Arm 13 is thereafter maintained in its said prone position by engagement of flanges 15a on rail supports 24a as aforesaid.

It will thus be seen that cigarettes can be extinguished Without any need for handling beyond merely dropping them into recesses 15, subsequent cleaning of recesses 15 being achieved as described. Furthermore, bowl 10 can be merely upturned to empty the same without complicated cleaning operations.

The foregoing is a description of a preferred embodiment of the invention and is here made by way of example only. The invention is not to be taken as limited to any of the specific features described and comprehends all such variations as come within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. An ash try structure adapted to facilitate extinguishing of cigarettes, said structure comprising: a bowl portion of predetermined length and breadth for depositing cigarette stubs and the like therein; at least one movable arm swingably mounted to one side of said bowl portion for movement along a path between a normal substantially horizontal position and a substantially vertical ejecting position; said arm having a blind recess formed in a free end thereof, said recess being just large enough to accept a said cigarette stub therein and be substantially completely filled thereby; stop means adjacent said bowl portion located in the path of said arm to check swinging thereof beyond a predetermined point; plunger means lo cated adjacent said bowl portion and mounted for reciprocal movement along a predetermined path; lost motion linkage means extending between said plunger means and said movable arm and transmitting movement of said plunger means along said predetermined path to said movable arm and moving the same from said normal prone position along a predetermined distance towards said ejecting position, said lost motion linkage permitting unrestrained inertial movement of said movable arm for the remainder of said distance and into contact with said stop means,

2. The structure as claimed in claim 1 including a raised platform adjacent said bowl portion co-planar with the upper edge thereof and wherein said arm is recessed therein and mounted substantially level therewith.

3. The structure as claimed in claim 1 said blind recess having a longitudinal axis normally directed vertically upward when said arm is located in its prone position, said arm being swingable to bring said longitudinal axis of said recess into a generally horizontal orientation.

4. In an ashtray structure having a receptacle for butts and the like, butt extinguishing means comprising; at least one arm movably mounted beside said receptacle for swinging between a normal horizontal position and a vertical ejecting position along a predetermined path; said arm having at least one blind recess formed at a free end thereof for reception of a butt therein, said recess having a longitudinal axis directed upwardly when said arm is in its said horizontal position; plunger means mounted adjacent said arm for vertical reciprocal movement in response to finger pressure thereon; means biassing said plunger vertically upwardly against said finger pressure; lost motion linkage means extending between said plunger means and said arm transmitting downward movement of said plunger means to said arm as a swinging movement thereof causing said arm to move upwardly out of its said normal position along at least a portion of its said path and inducing momentum therein said lost motion permitting said arm to move freely thereafter under its own momentum along the remainder of its said path; stop means mounted in the path of said arm to check swinging of the same beyond its said vertical position.

5. Apparatus for extinguishing and depositing cigarette butts for use in association with ashtrays and the like and comprising; at least one arm pivotally mounted adjacent one end thereof for swinging along a predetermined path between a normal horizontal position and an ejecting position in which the other end of said arm is oriented in an upright position; means mounting and supporting said 7 arm for pivoting as aforesaid; said arm having at least one blind recess formed at said other end thereof for reception of a butt therein, said recess having a longitudinal axis directed upwardly when said arm is in its said horizontal position; plunger means mounted adjacent said arm for vertical reciprocal movement in response to finger pressure thereon; means biassing said plunger vertically upwardly against said finger pressure; lost motion linkage means extending between said plunger means and said arm transmitting downward movement of said plunger means to said arm as a swinging movement thereof causing said arm to move upwardly out of its said normal position along at least a portion of its said path and inducing momentum therein, said lost motion permitting said arm to move freely thereafter under its own momentum along the remainder of its said path; stop means mounted in the path of said arm to check swinging of the same beyond its said vertical position. 7

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

5. APPARATUS FOR EXTINGUISHING AND DEPOSITING CIGARETTE BUTTS FOR USE IN ASSOCIATION WITH ASHTRAYS AND THE LIKE AND COMPRISING; AT LEAST ONE ARM PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ADJACENT ONE END THEREOF FOR SWINGING ALONG A PREDETERMINED PATH BETWEEN A NORMAL HORIZONTAL POSITION AND AN EJECTING POSITION IN WHICH THE OTHER END OF SAID ARM IS ORIENTED IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION; MEANS MOUNTING AND SUPPORTING SAID ARM FOR PIVOTING AS AFORESAID; SAID ARM HAVING AT LEAST ONE BLIND RECESS FORMED AT SAID OTHER END THEREOF FOR RECEPTION OF A BUTT THEREIN, SAID RECESS HAVING A LONGITUDINAL AXIS DIRECTED UPWARDLY WHEN SAID ARM IS IN ITS SAID HORIZONTAL POSITION; PLUNGER MEANS MOUNTED ADJACENT SAID ARM FOR VERTICAL RECIPROCAL MOVEMENT IN RESPONSE TO FINGER PRESSURE THEREON; MEANS BIASSING SAID PLUNGER VERTICALLY UPWARDLY AGAINST SAID FINGER PRESSURE; LOST MOTION LINKAGE MEANS EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID PLUNGER MEANS AND SAID ARM TRANSMITTING DOWNWARD MOVEMENT OF SAID PLUNGER MEANS TO SAID ARM AS A SWINGING MOVEMENT THEREOF CAUSING SAID ARM TO MOVE UPWARDLY OUT OF ITS SAID NORMAL POSITION ALONG AT LEAST A PORTION OF ITS SAID PATH AND INDUCING MOMENTUM THEREIN, SAID LOST MOTION PERMITTING SAID ARM TO MOVE FREELY THEREAFTER UNDER ITS OWN MOMENTUM ALONG THE REMAINDER OF ITS SAID PATH; STOP MEANS MOUNTED IN THE PATH OF SAID ARM TO CHECK SWINGING OF THE SAME BEYOND ITS SAID VERTICAL POSITION. 